About
The character "旧", representing the concept of "old" or "former", has an etymology that traces back to a pictograph of a bird, specifically an owl. Over time, this original meaning was entirely replaced through the process of phonetic loan, whereby the character was borrowed to express the abstract idea of something past or worn. Its traditional and more complex counterpart, "舊", structurally incorporates elements suggesting a bird perched in a nest or hollow, a remnant of its pictorial origins. The simplified form "旧" is a later graphical alteration, likely derived from the left component of "舊", which itself evolved from the owl pictograph, thus creating a more stylized and less pictorially obvious representation. Throughout its use, the semantic focus settled firmly on temporal quality, denoting age, antiquity, or previous state, completely shedding its avian association.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这本书很旧。
我的旧电脑坏了。
她扔掉了旧玩具。
旧照片让我回忆过去。
这座旧桥需要维修。
在旧社会，生活很艰难。
他怀念旧日的时光。
尽管这栋建筑旧了，但它仍然很有价值。